Can-perforating implement.



C. MYERS.

CAN PERFORATING IMPLEMENT. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1917.

1,235,230, Patented July 31, 1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE. I

CHESTER MYERS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO E. MYERS LYE COMPANY,OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

CAN-PERFORATING IMPLEMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Application filed February 9, 1917. Serial No. 147,728.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHESTER MYERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Can-Perforating Implements, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification.

This invention relates broadly to metal cutting devices, andspecifically to a special form of implement designed for use inperforating sheet metal receptacles of the sort commonly employed ascontainers for packaged material.

In the use of various materials which are customarily packaged in thefamiliar tin cans, it is frequently desired to so open or perforate thecontainer that portions of the contents may be utilized from time totime as desired, and the balance retained in the can for storage andprotection.

In the utilizing of various materials which are in granular or powderedform, this method of handling the package is particularly desirable. Inthe use of such materials, it is necessary to provide a dischargeaperture of some size in order to permit the discharge of the material,and it is also desirable that the portion of the metal removed ordisplaced in order to form the aperture, be disposed in such fashionthat it will not interfere with such discharge. Consequently, it isdesirable that the edges of the aperture be left smooth, that thedisplaced portion of metal be not left loose as a blank or punchingwithin the container, and that no appreciable bur be left about themargin of the aperture either projecting inwardly or outwardly. Aninwardly projecting or ragged bur is undesirable for the reason that itforms a place for the collection of the comminuted material andinterferes with its passage. through the aperture, and an outwardlyprojecting bur is undesirable especially in instances where the familiarrotary or slide closure cap is employed over the sealed cover of thecan.

It is the purpose of my invention, accordingly, to provide a form ofimplement Which may be employed for puncturing sheet metal cans toprovide the desired discharge aperture, and to form such aperture insuch fashion that the edge of the aperture is left smooth and the metalremoved is so shaped and disposed of as not to interfere with theutilization of the container.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated embodiments of myinvention,

Figure 1 being a perspective of the preferred form;

Fig. 2 being a sectional view illustrating the utilization of thedevice;

Fig. 3 being a sectional view of a portion of a tin can showing themanner in which the removed metal is disposed of; and

Fig. i being a perspective illustrating a modified embodiment of theinvention.

Fig. 5 is a detail illustrating a third form.

Referring to these illustrations in detail by means of the referencecharacters applied, let it be understood that the numeral 1 designates asuitable handle for the device, and 2 designates the bit or cuttingferrule. The latter may be circular in cross section or of other formand is made of metal of the proper quality to cut or shear the sheetmetal of the container upon which the. device is to be used. In thepreferred form of the device,

the bit or cutting ferrule is aflixed to the handle so that it extendsto an obtuse angle relative thereto. The extremity or cutting end of theferrule is formed by making a section across the axis of the ferrule atan acute angle relative to its lower longitudinal surface, which lattersurface is designated by the character a. This provides at the lowerextremity of the device an entering edge or point which is designatedbythe character I), from which leads a shearing edge, designated by thecharacter 0, and

formed by the metal at the junction of the peripheral and sectionalsurfaces. The sectional surface of the metal forms a curling edge, whichis designated by the character d, which curling edge extends about theperiphery of the ferrule adjacent theshearing edge and at an anglerelative to the longitudinal axis of the ferrule and the lower orguiding surface a.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the curling surface d lies in a plane whichintersects the axis of the handle 1 approximately at the upper extremityof the latter.

In the use of the device, the cutting ferrule is disposed on the metalwhich it is intended to puncture with the cutting edge or point 7) atthe place where the aperture is to be started and with the upperextremity of the handle approximately perpendicularly above the point ofcontact between the cut ting ferrule and the metal. Then, in anysuitable manner, as by blows from the palm of the hand delivered uponthe upper extremity of the handle, the device is driven through thesheet metal. In this operation, the point makes the entering punctureand the shearing edge 0 passes through the metal with a clean shearingcut. As the ferrule is forced through the metal, the guiding sur face (4causes a feed of the cutting portion of the tool in the direction of theslope of the ferrule from the handle, and the curlin surface (Z curlsthe blank, which is removed by the shearing edge, into a roll as at 4immediately against the inside surface of the metal sheet which is beingcut. The length of the aperture may be governed by the extent to whichthe ferrule is driven, as the lateral feed, occasioned by the slopingguiding surface (L, is proportionate to the longitudinal penetration ofthe ferrule. The tool is readily removed when an aperture of the desiredsize has been formed, and the blank or removed portion of metal is leftattached to the can top as a compact roll, in which position it offersno objectionable impediment to the discharge of the material from thecan. The cut made by this implement is smooth with no inwardly oroutwardly proj ecting bur, such as would interfere with the operation ofa supplemental top, such as that illustrated in Fig. 8, which may berotated to close the aperture.

In the modified form illustrated in Fig. 4., the cuttin ferrule is notdisposed at an angle relative to the handle, but is disposed onsubstantially the same axis. However, the relationship of the shearingedge, curling edge and guiding surface of the ferrule is substantiallythe same as in the preferred form. In the use of this modification,however, it is necessary that the handle be held at an inclinationrelative to the sheet of metal which is to be perforated, and the forceapplied directly on the line of move ment which the cutting ferrule isto take in making the cut.

I am aware that various other changes and modifications may be made inthe device illustrated without departing from the spirit of theinvention and the scope of the appended claims, as for example themodification illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein the curling surface (Z iscontinuous across the end of the bit, and the guiding surface a isnarrowed to an edge to form a sharp entering point at the extremity ofthe bit.

IVhat I claim is:

1. An implement of the class described comprising a suitable handleequipped with a terminal cutting ferrule, which ferrule has a peripheralshearing edge and a guiding surface extending at acute angles relativeto each other, and a curling edge lying sub stantially in the plane ofthe shearing edge.

2. An implement of the class described including a handle portion and abit portion, the latter having a guiding surface and a shearing edgedisposed at an acute angle relative thereto across the axis of the bitportion, and a curling edge presenting a surface substantially in theplane of the shearing edge.

3. An implement of the class described in cluding a handle portion and abit portion, the latter terminating in a perforating edge with ashearing edge and a guiding surface diverging therefrom at an acuteangle rela tive to each other, and a curling edge adjacent the shearingedge.

4. An implement of the class described including a handle portion and abit portion disposed thereon and extending at an obtuse angle relativeto the axis thereof, the bit portion having a terminal perforating edge,a shearing edge extending therefrom and toward the axis of the handle,and a curling edge extending adjacent the shearing edge.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature this 5th day ofFebruary, 1917.

CHESTER MYERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

